Gareth Bale reveals hidden back injury forced him to retire
(Courtesy : LaLiga content hub)
The Welshman endured an injury-ridden time at Madrid.
Gareth Bale has disclosed that he had a secret injury during his career, which ultimately caused him to call his time from football. Bale, 36, became one of the most successful players after winning five UEFA Champions League trophies with Real Madrid.
Shortly after representing Wales at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, at the age of 33, he decided to end his playing career.
He has now revealed information about a back injury he sustained at Spurs as a teenager, which he claims played a role in his decision to stop playing.
Gareth Bale reveals how a back injury forced him into retirement
In an interview with the Stick to Football podcast, Gareth Bale stated:
“I tore my disc in my back when I was 18 at Tottenham. I played my whole career with that. I had a lot of calf injuries which was due to my back. I never came out and said this when I was playing because some people would say ‘he’s making excuses’.
“It was manageable but over time it caught up with me.”
Gareth Bale then moved to Real Madrid in a record transfer, and he claims the Spanish powerhouses were aware of the problem.
Although he described the issue as “manageable,” he acknowledged that it affected his time in LaLiga. However, he was instrumental in the team’s return to dominance in Europe.
He claims that due to the possibility of hurting his calf, he was even compelled to brush his teeth while standing on his heels.
“I never knew when it would come,” he said, “and obviously people were like, ‘oh, he doesn’t look after himself’ [but] I would literally make sure my calves and soleus were bulletproof.”
“But again, if it misfires and it goes, there’s nothing I could do about it. I’d have an injection in my back to calm it all down.”
What injury did Gareth Bale have in his back?
He tore his disc in his back during his early Tottenham days.
When did Bale retire from football?
He retired in 2023 after playing in the 2022 World Cup.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.